I Just Want to be Super!

Written by Andrew Katz

Illustrated by Tony Luzano

CrackBoom! Books (Choucette Publishing)

978-2-89802193-0

32 pp.

Ages 3-8

June 2020

Superheroes are everywhere nowadays. They're in novels, TV shows, movies, toys, graphic novels and comics. They are so commonplace and so revered for their exceptionalities that it's not surprising that any child would want to be one. Consequently, when the family tabby, Jaguar, brings a red eye mask home, little Nino is enthralled.

From I Just Want To Be Super! by Andrew Katz, illus. by Tony Luzano

Putting the mask on, Nino feels empowered. He can jump higher, he can throw farther ("He hurled a tomato all the way to Hawaii"), and he can even blast into outer space. Of course, he still has to do chores like put his dishes in the sink and change his clothes, and do normal kid things like nap and eat and play. But when you're super, everything is amazing!

From I Just Want To Be Super! by Andrew Katz, illus. by Tony Luzano

But while Nino is being amazing, and he's cautioned by his family to not go overboard and do harm with his superpowers, Jaguar is snatched by a massive, leafy monster. Of course, Nino is able to save his feline friend, while realizing that he has a few lessons he can teach others about being super.

From I Just Want To Be Super! by Andrew Katz, illus. by Tony Luzano

Author Andrew Katz who co-authored the Prix Peuplier-nominated Comment attraper un ours qui aime lire (French edition of How To Catch A Bear Who Loves To Read) gives voice to every child who has ever dreamed of being a superhero. Nino may claim he just wants to be super but he really wants the excitement and recognition that comes from doing and being good. I don't know if Nino ever flies off into space or shakes his house off its foundation with his stomping, or if it is all in his imagination. Nevertheless, he revels in what he can accomplish, though tempering all that super-ness with being a kid who has to help out around the house, being considerate of others and acting wisely.

From I Just Want To Be Super! by Andrew Katz, illus. by Tony Luzano

Still, superpowers have to have bang and Nino's do through Montreal's Tony Luzano's illustrations. There's a dynamism to Nino's actions, whether mundane play with glitter or heading into the cosmos to speak to aliens, and Tony Luzano accomplishes it with his vivid colours and youthful energy of line and shape.

If I Just Want to be Super! teaches us anything, it's that being a superhero means making the world a better place for all and superheroes are definitely not limited to the media of pages or screens. They're everywhere, doing everyday jobs and helping to improve our lives, and, with some consideration and thoughtfulness, we can all be super.

• • • • • • •

On

 Tuesday, June 16, 2020 

at

6 p.m. EST (“doors” open at 5:45),

author Andrew Katz 

will be virtually launching

the English and French editions of his new picture book

I Just Want to be Super! 

and

 Je suis Super Nino!  


The launch will include:

• an interview hosted by Asian/Pacific American Award-winning author Teresa Robeson,
• special musical guest Treehouse TV’s Splash’N Boots,
and
• a bilingual teaser reading of the book by Andrew Katz and French translator Juliana Léveillé-Trudel.

Register for this free event 
at
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/i-just-want-to-be-super-age-3-je-suis-super-nino-3-ans-et-tickets-108754509666

• • • • • • •

The Almost Epic Squad: Super Sketchy

Written by Lesley Livingston

Illustrated by Britt Wilson

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-5785-8

181 pp.

Ages 8-13

July 2019

In this newest installment of The Almost Epic Squad, a series of multi-authored middle-grade novels that blend humour, mystery and fantasy, Lesley Livingston introduces Daisy Kildare, one of the four babies exposed to reidium at the Dimly, Manitoba hospital. Like her cohorts Jessica Flem and Gary Lundborg from Kevin Sylvester's Mucus Mayhem (2018) and Ted Staunton's What Blows Up (2019) respectively, Daisy is reaching puberty and unknowingly coming into her almost-epic superpowers. If only she knew how to control hers and stay safe from those who want to take advantage of them. 

Daisy has always tried to figure what she's good at and now that she has to choose a May long-weekend activity camp, she's decided that art will be her destiny. Her efforts are generally not very good until she grabs one of the old promotional pencils from the Dimly Bulb Company. Immediately she feels a tingle and a zap and her below-par art becomes extraordinary and is touted by Mrs. Winklehorn, the art teacher, as "an abstract-Impressionist-absurdist gem." (pg. 22) Kip Winklehorn, a parkour disaster, makes Daisy's acquaintance at camp and tells her that he's always heard that Dimly is well-known for its light bulbs, graphite and Splotnik, a liquor that originated in the Balkan country of Pianvia, and how all were revered by artists. Daisy could certainly use some help as her first drawing assignment at camp is a bust until she feels that familiar tingle and jolt and becomes the pineapple she is drawing.

From The Almost Epic Squad: Super Sketchy by Lesley Livingston, illus. by Britt Wilson

Fortunately, Kip, a kind-hearted boy–he has a three-legged, one-eyed rescue marmot named Percy–comes to her rescue.

...Daisy had somehow managed to turn herself into a tropical fruit. And Kip wasn't about to just leave her there to ripen. (pg. 58)

He discovers that if he erases Daisy's drawing, she will turn back to her human self. It would seem that Daisy's destiny was not art but rather transmogrification.

From The Almost Epic Squad: Super Sketchy by Lesley Livingston, illus. by Britt Wilson

Meanwhile, in a subterranean hideout in the Okanagan valley, Dr. Gavin Bafflegab is working in his Cryptolair to prove the existence of cryptids, creatures of folklore and legend.  He is working for the Boss, the elusive costume-wearing evil queenpin who has been tracking the four Dimly kids, and intends to raise an army of cryptids to secure control over the world. When his research associate a.k.a. lab rat Gerald recognizes Daisy from his time with Dr. Fassbinder, the doctor who'd been testing the Dimly babies from the time of their ir-redium-ation, he and Dr. Bafflegab kidnap Percy to entice Daisy to use her power for them.

In a silly amalgam of characters, plot and action, Lesley Livingston makes Super Sketchy into a caper of kids trying to figure out their skills, including superpowers, amidst the nefarious plans of evil researchers and masterminds and rats and a boisterous assortment of creatures such as Bigfoot, a yeti, Ogopogo, gremlins and goblins.

"...you never want to make a gremlin mad. But you NEVER want to make a goblin mad. Gremlins will just pinch you while you sleep. Goblins will delete your bank account." (pg. 152)

Kids will laugh themselves silly while understanding the need to find something that they're good at. They'll clap for a marmot's rescue, question a rat's motives, and they'll cheer for Bigfoot and his friends. And still Lesley Livingston will leave them wanting to know more about the Boss, a bizarre invitation to a potluck picnic and just what Bernard Cheeper, Department C Projects Coordination, wants from the Almost Epic Squad. With the final volume in The Almost Epic Squad series, Irresistible from Richard Scrimger, due out in October, it won't be long to wait.

 💭💭💭💭💭💭💭💭💭💭💭💭

For readers who will want to read the whole series, here is a list of all titles in The Almost Epic Squad:

Mucus Mayhem by Kevin Sylvester (Sept., 2018) Reviewed here

What Blows Up by Ted Staunton (Jan., 2019) Reviewed here

Super Sketchy by Lesley Livingston (July, 2019)

Irresistible by Richard Scrimger (Oct., 2019)

The Almost Epic Squad: What Blows Up

Written by Ted Staunton

Illustrated by Britt Wilson

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-5782-7

163 pp.

Ages 8013

January 2019

Thirteen years ago, four babies in the Dimly, Manitoba hospital were irradiated (or should that be irreidiated?) with reidium from the dust of its Dimly light bulbs when the electrical system overloaded during a storm. Since that time, the four children have been tracked by Dr. Fassbinder who is currently at the Institut de l'ennui/Boredom Institute. Now that the four are reaching puberty and their almost-epic superpowers are kicking in, everyone wants a piece of the action, whether to study them or abuse their powers.

Readers met Jessica Flem, the first of Dimly, Manitoba's almost superheroes in Kevin Sylvester's Mucus Mayhem (Scholastic Canada, 2018) and in What Blows Up, Ted Staunton introduces us to another, Gary Lundborg. Gary is a tall and clumsy kid–his nickname is Clumsborg–who is forgetful and has difficulties concentrating, though he does get "feelings" to which he pays attention. He seems pretty average, even if intuitive. But during testing, Dr. Fassbinder and his mouse research technicians realize that Gary is telekinetic, moving objects by simply imagining doing so. Strangely, his power cycle is between 3 and 6 a.m. only but it can be boosted by eating garlic.

From What Blows Up (The Almost Epic Squad) by Ted Staunton, illus. by Britt Wilson

When Gary gets the call from Bernard Cheeper of Department C, the boy is whisked away, first to training camp and then to the Balkan country of Pianvia, one of the few sources of reidium along with garlic, in order to help thwart the criminal plan of the elusive Boss. Seems the Boss, aided by teen evil genius Malevia Spleene and her Green Bay Packer bots, along with a work force of moles, has a plan of her own when it comes to the almost epic superheroes of Dimly.

But now, a quick perfume spritz and back to work. There was still Greep and Bafflegab to scream at and the Cat-A-Tonic gas dispenser to top up. So little time, so much evil: a villain’s work was never done. (pg. 107)

In a plot rife with minions, villains, superheroes (sort of), yaks, and double-crossing and humour, Ted Staunton continues The Almost Epic Squad as the very funny middle-grade series it is. (Kudos to Scholastic Canada for choosing such exceptionally humourous writers for the series.) Though What Blows Up, and you'll have to read the book to find out what that is, touches on Jess Flem's story and hints at the remaining squad members in the next two books, it is a solid stand-alone that will draw chuckles and sympathy for the awkward Gary and boos and jeers against the weirdly-costumed Boss and an assortment of freelance masterminds. The plot is complex with its multi-layers, and hilariously entertaining with its voice and unique story elements like a polo game on yaks, a mouse looking to cut a reality TV deal and an assortment of mishaps by poor Gary.

Machines beeped and hummed as he guided balloons (tricky), printed on a whiteboard (very tricky), and threw darts (don't ask) using mind power. Then came a couple of accidental don't-asks involving a tennis racquet and a Bunsen burner. (pg. 27)

Add some graphic novel-like illustrations from Britt Wilson and Ted Staunton's What Blows Up truly feels like a superhero story, albeit one in which the superhero doesn't always know what he's doing but he tries. With the last two kids of The Almost Epic Squad having their stories told in Lesley Livingston's Super Sketchy and in Richard Scrimger's Irresistible, these unlikely champions look like they're heading to make the world a safer place from villains while entertaining readers with their quirkiness and almost epic efforts.

There are loads of extras including videos, etc. at the Scholastic Canada website http://www.scholastic.ca/books/series/almost-epic/ so do check it out for more fun.

The Almost Epic Squad: Mucus Mayhem

Written by Kevin Sylvester

Illustrated by Britt Wilson

Scholastic Canada

978-1-4431-5779-7

187 pp.

Ages 8-13

September 2018 

In a hospital nursery in Dimly, Manitoba thirteen years earlier, a storm overloads the emergency lighting system and four babies are showered with the glowing dust from the reidium bulbs (the once famous Dimly Bulbs).  Four babies, four characters, four books.  This is Baby Flem's story. 

Baby Flem is actually Jessica Flem, an extraordinary gamer of Gang of Greats who is bizarrely afflicted with allergies. The thirteen-year-old, whose nose had been affected in the accident, must use copious tissues as well as her puffer, to relieve her congestion. Turning 13, Jessica is prepared for her annual checkup and bizarre questioning by Dr. Fassbinder, now of the Insitut de l'ennui, and another superfluous visit from her "babysitter" Garvia Greep who gifts her with a diary in which to chronicle her "changes."

Her voice sounded sickly sweet like a snake trying to do a Taylor Swift imitation. (pg. 25)

Dr. Fassbinder's questions about magic and flying and other weird stuff may seem outrageous but not as crazy as the small green gummy-like man who appears amidst her used tissues to sweep them up. Dr. Fassbinder doesn't seem too flummoxed by the green janitor who grows as Jess uses more tissues but disappears when finished, though her only friend, Cliff Snuffington, is fascinated by her "snot golem." (Of course, he's the guy who collects her used tissues, calling them "ori-gummy creations" and gathers them in plastic sandwich bags for his collection.)

Then the really weird stuff starts happening. You're probably wondering how things could get any weirder.  Well, Jess's notes begin disappearing from her diary; she discovers a dossier about her situation; her parents disappear; an old blimp manned by Garvia Greep starts pursuing them; a talking lab mouse named Algernon comes to their aid; and Jess tries to control her mucus-transforming power. And all the while she is participating in a Game of Greats tournament, aiming to reach Grand Master.

Transforming mucus into creatures to do your bidding, whether cleaning or fighting bad guys, may not exactly be a superpower all would aspire to have but it's completely appropriate for a young teen of the The Almost Epic Squad. (We'll have to wait for Books 2, 3, and 4 by Ted Staunton, Lesley Livingston and Richard Scrimger, to learn about the almost epic superpowers of the remaining thirteen-year-olds. See below for details.) Mucus Mayhem is an elevated Captain Underpants for the middle grade set. The humour is slightly gross but always clever, with a splash of the supernatural and filled with the action of chases, mad science and nefarious plots. The irreverence of Kevin Sylvester's premise will freak out and amuse readers to no end. And his punning and crackerjack writing will have everyone giggling with its tongue-in-cheek sauciness.

My head was swimming. But then my nose completely jammed and I began my tissue tango–nose, tissue, garbage basket. Or, more accurately, floor. Nose. Tissue. Floor. Repeat. Cha-cha-cha. (pg. 25)

Illustrator and cartoonist Britt Wilson's black-and-white cartoons pepper the story and will grab a few more readers who love artwork to help move the story, though Mucus Mayhem is already a zippy read of laughs and ickiness.

From The Almost Epic Squad: Mucus Mayhem by Kevin Sylvester, illus. by Britt Wilson

Fortunately, with additional titles in the series slotted for January (What Blows Up by Ted Staunton), May (Super Sketchy by Lesley Livingston) and September (Irresistible by Richard Scrimger) of 2019, it looks like The Almost Epic Squad will be tickling funny bones for a while.

Covers of The Almost Epic Squad books (covers not finalized for Super Sketchy and Irresistible)